Cushioned gun stock



Jan. 27, 1970 E. H. EASTIN CUSHIONED GUN STOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 8, 1968 INVENTOR. EDWHED 6 52577 gg a Jan. 27, 1970 E. H. EASTl-N IC USHIONED GUN STOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1968 INVENTQR. Ensw/v I CUSHIWED- sun s'rock Filed Jan. 8, 1968 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l I EelI i 1 I I l '1 1 l 1 I INVENTOR.

Fawn/a2: b. 595w BY United States Patent 3,491,473 CUSHIONED GUN STOCKEdward H. Eastin, 254 Reilman Court, Rochester, Mich. 48063 Filed Jan.8, 1968, Ser. No. 697,562 Int. Cl. F41c 23/00 US. Cl. 42--74 15 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The gun stock disclosed herein comprises ahousing having two relatively telescoping sections one of which isadapted for attachment to the gun stock. Sealing means are providedbetween the two sections to produce a fluidtight seal. One of the twosections has a wall with at least one opening therein for the flow offluid between sections extending transversely. A closure is adapted toprogressively engage the opening of the wall to restrict the flow offluids through the opening as the two sections are moved inwardly of oneanother due to the shock of firing the gun.

This invention relates to gun stocks and particularly to shock absorbinggun stocks. Among the objects of the invention are to provide a novelgun stock which will effectively absorb a great portion of the shock offiring a gun such as a shot gun; which is relatively Simple, has fewmoving parts, is easy to maintain, and can be readily adapted to olderguns.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional fragmentary side elevational view of a gunembodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a part sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken alongthe line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a part sectional view of a modified form of of the invention.

FIG. '6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG.5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary part sectional view taken along the line 7-7 inFIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a furthermodified form of the invention.

'FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 99 in FIG.8.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the gun stock 10 has mounted thereon the shockabsorber assembly 11 embodying the invention including a base plate 12that is fixed to the end of the gun stock by screws 13 extending throughopenings 14 in the plate. The plate 12 may be formed with deformedportions 15 that extend into openings 16 drilled into the gun stock toaccurately locate the plate. The gun stock 10 is made of a shorterlength than conventional construction or cut off in order to provide anoverall length of the gun which will be in accordance with the design ofthe gun.

The shock absorber assembly 11 further includes a first telescopingsection 17 which is generally cupshaped and fixed to the base plate 12and a second relatively telescoping section 18 that telescopes over thesection 17. An annular seal 19 is provided between the sections 17, 18that produces a fluid-tight seal so that hydraulic fluid can be providedwithin the section. An inner bearing 20 is mouned on the section 17 andan outer bearing 21 is mounted on the section 18.

A transverse wall 22 is mounted across the section 17 Patented Jan. 27,1970 ice and has a plurality of spaced openings 23 therein with deformedseats 24 surrounding the openings. A spring carrier 25' is fixed at oneend to the section 17 and extends upwardly toward the base of thesection 18 so that in normal position it is as shown in FIG. 1. Carrier25 has rotatably supported thereon a plurality of closure members 26. Asshown closure members 26 are in the form of balls with spacer members 27(FIG. 4) at spaced points along the carrier.

The area within the wall 22 is filled with a compressible closed cellbody 28 forming a main spring structure and having a plate 29 thereon.

A resilient body 30 is fixed to the section 18 and forms the shoulderrest portion of the gun stock. An integral accordion folded diaphragm 31extends from the body 30 and is fixed to the plate 12 by engaging theperiphery of the plate.

The interior of the section 18 is filled with hydaulic fluid. When thegun is fired, the shock of the gun forces the gun stock 10 toward theshoulder of the user thereby forcing the fluid from the interior section18 through the openings 23 and compressing the body 28. As the sections17, 18 telescope inwardly relative to one another due to the shock, thecarrier 25 is forced and progressively moved to bring closure members 26into engagement with the seat 24 restricting progressively the flow offluid from the interior section 18 to the interior section 17. Finallyall of the closure members 26 are brought into engagement with theirrespective openings and the condition is reached as shown in FIG. 3where the fluid Within the section 17 is entrapped therein and the body28 is compressed.

After the gun is shot, the forces tending to telescope the sections areremoved or relieved and the compressed mass 28 tends to force th fluidback through the openings 23 into the section 18. When combined with thetendency of the spring carrier 25 to move the section 18 outwardly thisforces the section 18 outwardly.

In making the shock absorber unit 11, the diaphragm 31 is hermeticallysealed to the plate 12 with the shock absorber assembly in slightlycompressed position so that when the shock absorber is in the positionshown in FIG. 1 a slight vacuum will be present in the area surroundingthe sections 17, 18 thereby minimizing the distortion. When the fullforce of a gun shot is absorbed, the air pressure within the envelope 31surrounding the sections 17, 18 will exceed that of atmospheric pressureproviding an air spring to facilitate the return to normal. In order tofacilitate the return of fluid to the chamber 18 during the returnstroke, the construction further includes a peripheral wall 32 at theperiphery of wall 22 which has a portion thereof spaced from the wall ofthe section 17 to form a cavity 34 in which an O-ring 35 is positioned.Openings 36 are provided which in the retracting position permit freeaccess of fluid at the O-ring into the interior of section 18. Duringcompression or shock absorbing movement, the O-ring 35 seats on the wall32 and prevents passage of fluids.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7, the shock absorberassembly 40 comprises two telescoping sections 41, 42. The telescopingsection 41 is set within the interior of the gun stock 43 and comprisesthree tubular portions 44, 45, 46. Similarly the section 42 comprisesthree tubular portions 47, 48, 49 that telescope within the portions 44,45, 46 respectively. Section 41 includes a transverse wall 50 and achamber 51 that is filled with a body 52 of closed cell material.Passages 53, 54, 55 provide communication between the tubular portions44, 45, 46 and the chamber 51.

Springs 56, 57 are provided in the tubular portions 44, 47 and 46, 49respectively and tend to extend the sections relative to one another.The base of each of the tubular portions 47, 48, 49 are interconnectedby passages 58, 59 extending to a filling plug 60. A transverse wall orclosure member 61 made of plastic is provided in the base of tubularportions 45 and has a plurality of openings 62 therein. A spring carrier63 has one end thereof fixed to the wall 61 and the other end thereofengaging the base of the tubular portion 48. Carrier 63 supports asinuous closure member 64 made of resilient material which is adapted toprogressively engage the openings 62 and progressively restrict the flowfrom the interior of the tubular portion 45 to the chamber 51 when thegun is shot and the shock is being absorbed.

Tubular portion 48 supports a one-way check valve in the form of a ball65 that seats against the seat 66 by the action of the spring 67interposed between a perforated wall 68 and the ball 65.

As in the previous form of the invention, when the gun is shot, the gunstock 43 tends to move rearwardly against the shoulder forcing the fluidwithin the tubular portion 45 through the opening 62 into the chamber51. As the fluid flows into the chamber 51, it compresses the body 52.During this interval the ball 65 is seated against the seat 66. As thesection 42 moves inwardly of the section 41 the closure member 64progressively closes opening 62.

After the full shock of firing the gun is completed, the springs 56, 57will return the section 42 to its original position. The expansion ofthe body 50 will facilitate this return by forcing the fluid through theopenings 53, 54, 55. The fluid through the tubular portions 44, 46 willreturn through the passages 58 and axial opening 70 unseating the ball65 to fill the interior of the tubular portion 45.

As in the previous form of the invention, a shock absorbing pad 71 isprovided on the outer section 42 and includes a tubular diaphragm 72that has a bead 73 engaging a groove 74 in the gun stock 43. In thisform of the invention an air vent 75 is provided for venting theinterior of the diaphragm 72. As the sections 42, 43 move toward oneanother during shock absorbing action, the diaphragm rolls upon itself.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the shock absorbingassembly 80 mounted on the gun stock 81 comprises a section 82 that ismounted within the gun stock and a telescoping section 83. Section 82includes three generally tubular portions 84, 85, 86 and section 83includes complementary tubular portions 87, 88, 89. A spring 90 isinterposed in section 84 and extends between the base of the tubularportion 84 and the end of tubular portion 87. The base of each tubularportion 87, 88, 89 communicates with a chamber 91 that is filled with abody 92 comprising a mass of closed cell plastic material that iscompressible.

The base of tubular portion 85 is formed with longitudinally spacedradial openings 93 that are progressively closed by the closure member93a on the end of the tubular portion 88 during the shock absorbingaction. The end of the tubular portion 88 has a seat 94 against which aball 95 is seated during shock absorbing action. The shock absorbingassembly 80 further includes a shoulder pad 96 and an accordion-typediaphragm 97 integral therewith and sealingly connected with the end ofthe gun stock as in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

When the gun is fired, the gun stock 81 will move toward the shoulder.The fluid within the shock absorbing assembly will seat the ball 95 sothat fluid in tubular portion 85 can only flow outwardly through theopenings 93. The fluid flowing through the openings 93 will pass throughthe tubular portion 84 and then axially through the tubular portion 87into and against the closed cell block of material 92 compressing theblock. The fluid will also flow through the tubular portion 86 andtubular portion 89 against the block 92. As the sections 82, 83

further compress, the openings 93 will be progressively covered furtherrestricting the flow of fluid.

After the full shock of firing the gun, the spring will retract thesection 83 with respect to the section 84 at the same time the expansionof the previously compressed block 92 will turn the fluid in the reversedirection as well as forcing the fluid to unseat the ball and pass intothe interior of the central tubular portion 85.

I claim: 1. For attachment to a gun stock the combination comprising ahousing having two relatively telescoping sections one of which isadapted for attachment to the gun stock,

ealing means between said two sections producing a fluid tight seal,

one of said sections having a wall with a plurality of openings thereinseparating the interior of said section from the interior of said othersection,

one of said sections having a closure thereon adapted to progressivelyengage the openings of said wall to restrict the flow of the fluidthrough said openings as the two sections are moved inwardly of oneanother clue to the shock of firing said gun,

a carrier comprising a spring member attached to one of said sections,

said closure comprising a plurality of closure members on said carrieradapted to engage said plurality of openings in the wall of said onesection.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including collapsible springmeans operable upon the flow of pressure fluid within said one sectionto reduce the volume in said one section and operable upon the fluid toreturn the fluid to the interior of said other section after the shockof firing the gun is relieved.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a body of closed cell resilient foam material.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a collapsibleresilient wall surrounding said housing.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a diaphragm of the bellows type.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a diaphragm adapted to fold on itself.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrier is sinuous,

said closure members comprising portions of an elongated body on saidone carrier engageable with said plurality of openings.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing sectionsdefine two spaced tubular portions,

passage means in each said section providing communication between thetubular portions of the receptive section.

one of said tubular sections having a transverse wall therein, the otherof said set of tubular sections having a compression spring thereinadapted to return said sections to their original position after the gunshot.

9. The combination comprising:

a gun stock,

a housing having two relatively telescoping sections,

one of said sections being fixed on said gun stock,

sealing means between said two sections producing a fluid tight seal,

one of said sections having a wall with a plurality of openings thereinseparating the interior of said section from the interior of said othersection,

one of said sections having a closure thereon adapted to progressivelyengage the openings of said wall to restrict the flow of the fluidthrough said openings as the two sections are moved inwardly of oneanother due to the shock of firing said gun,

a carrier comprising a spring member attached to one of said sections,

said closure comprises a plurality of closure members on said carrieradapted to engage a plurality of openings in the wall of said onesection.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 including collapsible springmeans operable upon the flow of pressure fluid within said one sectionto reduce the volume in said one section and operable upon the fluid toreturn the fluid to the interior of said other section after the shockof firing the gun is relieved.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a body of closed cell resilient foam material.

12. The combination set forth in claim 9 including a collapsibleresilient wall surrounding said housing.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a diaphragm of the bellows type.

14. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a diaphragm adapted to fold on itself.

15. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said carrier comprisesa sinuous spring member,

said closure members comprising portions of an elongated body on saidcarrier engageable with said plurality of openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,276 1/ 1919 Easdale 42-743,001,312 9/1961 Campbell 42-74 3,209,482 10/ 1965 Kuzma et a1 4274

